Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 188 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

. | 1 ’ / / } ' ee ee oe ON ee es meee ee a es a * 7 ~~ oe a ee Se ee. \ er se a - : LO “T know it, but let them go now. Cyrille first. Help me and when our work is done, you may turn on the sneaking wolves.” ‘he Indians acquiesced. ‘‘ Now,” said Ned eagerly, ‘‘do you know where Bald Top is?” lack Robe uttered a hght cry as he caught Ned’s arm and pointed in a westerly direction his arm slightly elevated. ‘* Boy see blue mountain over there?” sé Yes. ”? } “That Bald Top.” “ Why, it is far away!” ‘Git there by another sleep,” was the an- Neen ne nnn nnn nn ene EEETE EIDE En DDEI ESI REpetineetientientiemmeetnetieeentttiisamal swer. Ned did not reply but gazed at the far-off mountain as if his hopes hovered around its lofty peak. ‘* Why does boy look at Bald Top?’ asked Uncapa. “She is there!” exclaimed Ned, starting and his eyes brightened. ‘Last night I was in Red Cloud’s village. I was there when the Crows attacked the Sioux among their own lodges. I saw Captain Hardinge and Sam Wildcat seek safety in flight. Then I thought that Cyrille was somewhere among the wig- wams. While the battle was raging in one gers of the camp I was gliding through another unting for her. All at once 1 came upon the strangest creature that inhabits this country. I attempted to fly, but was captured by a bear- man who had just been stooping over a dead Sioux.” Ned’s narrative was interrupted oy oe ejacu- lation from the Indians; their k eyes dilated. ‘*T know you have heard of him,” the youth said. ‘‘He is the Death Shadow of the Red Cloud’s camps. Does he ever visit your vil- lages?” | ‘Him never trails a Crow; always the Sioux,” was the answer. ‘‘Boy see Death Shadow, last sleep?” “Yes. He caught me and held me fast,” Ned continued. ‘*‘ Suddenly the voice of a whi man came from that funny, yet hideous head. My nama,and my story were soon told at his command. I told him that my hunt for Cyrille had carried me to Red Cloud’s camp. ‘Go and find her,’ he said to me. ‘Go and find Bald Top; he will give you back the girl. She may need your help. Protect her till I come.’ Then he turned me around, and pointed with his hairy aim over my shoulder. ‘Keep in a straight line,’ he said, ‘and Bald Top _ will t P fag I tarned to ask for a better direc- ion, for the arm had been withdrawn, but I was alone. The demon of Montana had disap- ared and I stood beside the dead Sioux. believe that Cyrille is somewhere on that mountain; but there are many trails to mislead me. I am bound to find her. My duty is to do so, and to punish. Now, ‘On to Bali Top? is my. battle cry.” he two Crows had not understood all of Ned’s narrative; but they grasped its main points. “Bald Top shall give white girl up to boy,” said Uncapa. ‘‘Then the Crows wil trail the - white snakes, Boy ready to go?” ** Not only ready, but eager.” Black Robe ran forward and picked up the rifles which Ben Simon and Hardinge had been forced to drop. He held them exultingly above his head a moment, in full view of the mad owners and then suddenly dashed them against a tres. A how] of rage burst from the scout’s throat. “ Jes’ what I thought red skunks would do!” he cried. ‘‘Cap’n, we’ve got to get new shootin’-irons afore we kin compete with thet ‘* Where will we find them?” “Not nigher than the ane, 294 Hardinge fairly groaned. He did not relish the thought of losing precious time. _* Thar ar’ hosses fur us back thar,” said Ben. “We kin soon make up lost minutes. Wemust have the rifles!” ‘‘Then away to the Sioux camp!” The two worthies turned their backs on the boy and his scarlet allies; but with renewed oaths to return to the trail again. The tall figure of Uncapa led the van of the little party whose faces were now turned to Bald Top, the distant goal. They did not see the lank figure gliding after them. lt had the movements of the panther and the greedy, flashing eyes of the wildcat. When they halted, it stood still, and when they advanced again it followed as before, a wolf on a trail destined to be bloody before many hours had passed. "The youugster hed some news about my lost ' ee ee ee. ee ee ee oe - — ed FC ——$_——— -_-__-o- el or se ——— eee / 1 f hollyhock of the mountains,” said this tireless trailer, speaking to his ungainly self. ‘‘ They’re breakin’ straight fur Bald Top, too. Didn’t I hear old Uncapa mention the mountain once er twice in an important way. May I ketch the pag A ne afore Christmas ef I didn’t! Halt, Sam Wildcat! Thar’sa short way to Bald Top. Hyar’s the trail by which Colonel Armstrong marched over thar an’ got licked. The Crows don’t know about it. Sam Wildcat, you'll miss yer reg’lar dose to-day, but you’re in luck. My mountain pansy, ’m comin’ on legs thet kin out-run a rumor.” He bounded down a mountain defile like a stag, leaving Ned and the Crows to press on over the trail they had selected to Bald Top. Cyrille, wherever she was, had no one to warn her that more than one tiger was that day on her track. CHAPTER X1L. CYRILLE’S PERIL. “T am waiting for nothing. The Indian does not know where his eagle Sad and now that night has come again he will not continue his search.” Cyrille had waited, rifle in hand, three long hours for the eagle-slayer. During that time her eyes had not left the en- trance for a moment, nor had she ceased to lis- ten for the footsteps of the foe. At last she sat down to rest and to pay her re- spects to the food which Negotoo, the bear-man, had left behind. While engaged in the latter occupation, she was suddenly alarmed by a sound near the cor- ridor, and the next moment her rifle was ready for service. ‘‘Is the eagle-slayer coming at last?’ she asked herself, ‘‘ Well, he will not find me un- prepared.” She stepped beyond the limit of the firelight as she finished and waited. Her heart seemed in her throat, but she held the weapon steadily. For a moment the startling sound was not re- peated, then something more like shadow than substance greeted her eyes, and there rose into view near the inner threshold of the cave the lithe, half-naked body of an Indian. Cyrille saw him plainly because he stood in the firelight. Her inmost hope was that the eagle-killer was alone. The Indian stood for a minute where he first appeared, and then leaping suddenly forward, landed near the fire, and but a few feet from the rifle that now covered him. He was alone and the bow grasped by his hand told Cyrille that he was the brave for whom she bad waited. ‘* He will not see the eagle. I have thrown it away from the firelight. is eyes—” All at once the Indian leaped to the left, and acry of joy broke from his lips as he pounced upon the dead bird. It was thiscry that broke Cyrille’s sentence. ben, the young brave came back to the fire he sat calmly cown and began to examine the eagle. He drew the arrow through the body and returned it to his quiver: then he began to deprive the carcass of its finest feathers. Vhile thus engaged, Cyrille did not take her eyes from him. Why did he exhibit such fearlessness in a strange cave where he had discovered a fire and his eagle? Itis true that he was in the midst of bis own country; but might not an enemy in- habit it? Cyrille did not disturb him. "When he had se- cured the feathers he would quietly take his de- parture and leave her undisturbed. She believed this when she saw him cast the plucked bird aside and quit the cave. Our heroine breathed freely again. “Thank Heaven! I was notcompelled to shed blood,” she said, and she was about to leave her station when a number of voices fell on her ears, and she shrunk back into the shadows again. Her long residence at Fort Buford had famil- iarized her to a certain extent with the Sioux tongue. “Cat Eye find his eagle here,” she heard. ‘“‘TWire burnin’ when be come in. Nobody tell Cat Eye to go, so him sat down and took bis feathers.” The eagle-killer was not alone this time as Cyrille soon saw, for when the last word fell from the young Sioux’s lipsa dozen stalwart bucks stood before her, staring at the fire which the deadliest enemy of their race had lighted. ‘* Somebody make fire; same person that find > ) 224 ’ a - 7 —_* ~ve . a ‘ > . Capo,” Bari BiscrS COMPatons. ee a Ned Temple, the Border Boy. |i ,,,, LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL DLL — - + en ; — - - - —— —————T/ ‘‘Him come back to cave by-an’-by. Mebbe him be Negotoo.”’ At the mention of the dreaded name the In- dians involuntarily started back, and might have fled had not Cat Eye rallied them. ‘‘Negotoo no man—him not flesh an’ blood. Why then should he live in a cave?” said the buck. ‘* We will hunt the hole that we have, found—hunt it with fire.” Rallied by Cat Eye’s words the Indians ad- vanced again and several sprung to the fire to secure torches. ‘They will find me now,” thought Cyrille. ‘*T have permitted safety to slip through my fingers. Cat Eye should not have been allowed to leave the cave alive.” The next moment a voice stern and strangely unlike a girl’s came from that part of the cave which our heroine occupied: ‘‘The Sioux have come to Negotoo’s lodge? Do they want to wear his mark so badly that they must hunt him up?’ Instantly the serages who were about to lift the torches sprung back with startling cries, and Cyrille saw a fear-stricken group of war- riors trying to penetrate the shadows that con- cealed her. ‘‘Negotoo the Death Shadow is ready to make his mark on the Sioux warriors!” con- tinued Cyrille in the same tone, ‘‘They want it; but let them come forward and stand for him in the firelight.” The braves stood a moment longer in the presence of the speaker, and then bounding back turned and fled! All but one! Standing erect as if planted in the stony floor of the cave, young Cat Eye, the eagle-slayer, dared to face the enemy. He had drawn his tomahawk, and the flash of defiance was in his eye. ‘‘TLet Negotoo show himself. Here stands Cat Eye, the Sioux, who never shows his back to the foe—not even to the evil spirits. Black Coyote wears Negotoo’s evi] mark. He was Cat Eye’s brother. Where is the night Spirit? It is afraid to meet the tomahawk of the Sioux warrior when he is awake.” “ Negotoo does not want to slay the brave. Cat Eye’s time has not come!” was the oo ‘‘Cat Eye says it must come. If Negotoo will not come forth, he will seek him.” The young Sioux strode forward. Cyrilie went back until the wall of the cave stopped her. ‘** Fool!” hissed Cyrille, and the next instant the Indian staggered from the jet of flame that leaped into his very face. here was no death-cry; the victim of rash- ness fell and died instantly where he had lately hurled defiance into the teeth of his foe. ‘One out of twelve!” murmured Cyrille. ‘¢ Now, if the others have only left me to myself! I must ascertain.” She appeared once more in the firelight as she spoke and started toward the mouth of the cave. Fatal move! A number of vengeful cries fell on her ears, and several arrows whizzed past her head. Instantly she retreated, but the spell had been broken; the Sioux were not contending with the death man Negotoo, but with a girl. Cyrille turned, but too late; the red panthers were upon her, Supernatural strength appeared to nerve her arms, and the blow that she dealt staggered the foremost brave. ee a hundred hands seemed to be clutching at her. In a minute all was over; her weapon was wrenched from her grasp, and shivered on the floor, and she stood in the midst of a pack of wolves —a lamb about to be torn to pieces. A torch was held near her face that the Sioux might obtain a view of their prize, anda series of mad cries broke from their throats, Negotoo after all was not a spirit, but a young white girl. They had at last discovered the dread foe who for two years had killed in their villages andcamps. Nota hideous being as they had imagined him, but a beautiful creature was this shadow of death. ‘‘Negotoo will kill no more! She bas made her last mark on the brow of a Sioux,” flashed a stalwart warrior. ‘‘The eagle that Cat a killed led Red Cloud’s young braves to the Slayer. Does Negotoo expect to kill any more?” ‘“Yes!” answered Cyrille. ‘‘ Your camps and trails will continue to be visited by his hand?’ ‘¢ After we have killed you?” ‘‘ After IJ am dead!” The Sioux c.\ared into each other’s faces, [eomicbooks Sot. aceaes ey la ee < . €o)